Browse by Artist: MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH, CHRIS

Artist:	MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH, CHRIS
Title:	Bremen To Bridgewater
Label:	CUNEIFORM
Format:	2CD
Price:	$21.00
Catalog #:	RUNE 182/3CD

"Combining the rhythms of African music with those of American big-band jazz and the free playing of British improv, it produced 'one of the most vital and life-affirming big-band jazz ever played by anyone, anywhere.' (BBCi). The Brotherhood released only a handful of recordings in its lifetime. This release, Bremen to Bridgewater, contains two CDs of previously unreleased live recordings made in Germany and England during two very different periods of the band's career. The German recordings were made on June 20th, 1971 at Lila Uele, a well known jazz club in Bremen. The English recordings were made at the Bridgewater Arts Center, during two tours that the band made with different lineups in February and November of 1975, and feature some of the very last recordings of trumpeter Mongezi Feza, who died in December of that year. The band's lineups on these recordings are a veritable who's who of British free jazz, and include Harry Beckett, Marc Charig, Elton Dean, Nick Evans, Harry Miller, Louis Moholo, Mike Osborne, Evan Parker, Dudu Pukwana, Alan Skidmore, Gary Windo and others."

Artist:	MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH, CHRIS
Title:	Eclipse at Dawn
Label:	CUNEIFORM
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.00
Catalog #:	RUNE 262CD

"South African born & raised pianist/bandleader Chris McGregor formed the racially mixed Blue Notes in the early 1960s. By 1964, facing continuous government harassment, Chris & the Blue Notes fled their South African homeland: first to France, then to Switzerland, and finally settling in London in 1966, where they made a huge impression on London's jazz scene. In 1969, Chris formed The Brotherhood Of Breath, which was essentially the Blue Notes augmented by a large number of the brightest names in contemporary British jazz. Due to the death of many of the key players, the band was mostly forgotten and at best a historical footnote when Cuneiform started releasing albums by them in 2001. These albums were released to great sales and huge acclaim and kick started a Brotherhood Of Breath revival, which continues to this day. Includes a 16-page booklet with detailed liner notes and unpublished photos from the concert. Professionally recorded for German radio, this was recorded in front of a huge crowd in Berlin in November, 1971 and this recording is released for the first time here!"

Artist:	MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH, CHRIS
Title:	Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath
Label:	FLEDG'LING (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	FLED 3062CD

Reissued by Fledg'ling in 2007, this is a classic title from 1971 by Chris McGregor's magnificent big band -- Brotherhood Of Breath. Arguably one of the most influential albums to emerge from the London jazz scene of the early 1970s, the Brotherhood of Breath was an exuberant big-band created by South African-born pianist and composer, Chris McGregor. In South Africa, McGregor had formed the racially mixed Blue Notes in the early 1960s. By 1964, finding it very difficult to work at home, they left for Europe, finally settling in London in 1966. The Blue Notes -- Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Feza, Johnny Dyani and Louis Moholo -- made a huge impact on London's jazz scene and befriended many in London's emerging avant-garde jazz community. The Brotherhood Of Breath was essentially the expatriate Blue Notes augmented by a large number of their friends from the British jazz community. The ensemble played an energetic mixture of Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Sun Ra, but retained a unique feel due to the South African influences and the intelligent arrangements. McGregor dreamed of keeping the band together "not as an institution, but as a community." Unfortunately, the economics of touring with such a large ensemble made that impossible. The group with a varying line-up continued to perform and record sporadically until McGregor's untimely death in May 1990.

Artist:	MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH, CHRIS
Title:	Brotherhood
Label:	FLEDG'LING (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$17.00
Catalog #:	FLED 3063CD

Reissued by Fledg'ling in 2007. The long-overdue release on CD of Brotherhood -- a classic title from 1972 by Chris McGregor's magnificent big band Brotherhood Of Breath. Never before officially reissued, this wonderful album continues the ground-breaking music of their debut album. Mighty music for the head, the heart and the feet. "The Brotherhood of Breath is the kind of band you want to tell people about. It's not for private enjoyment, or for worship by a elitist cult. The Brotherhood's music is for sharing with the world, and that's what makes its name so apt: the musicians and the audience are brothers (and sisters), and they share the same breath, becoming merely parts of the same giant metabolism. Chris McGregor came out of South Africa in 1964, leading a band called the Blue Notes. Three of those Blue Notes can be heard on this record, and the fact that Mongezi Feza, Dudu Pukwana and Louis Moholo are still with Chris, is some tribute to the fantastic empathy they share, both personally and in the music they make together." --From Richard Williams' sleeve notes.

Artist:	MCGREGOR'S BROTHERHOOD OF BREATH, CHRIS
Title:	Chris McGregor's Brotherhood of Breath
Label:	STAMFORD AUDIO (UK)
Format:	LP
Price:	$33.00
Catalog #:	STAM 1005LP

"Deluxe gatefold sleeve with 180 gram LP. First time on vinyl since the Neon release. Hand numbered limited 500 edition. The Brotherhood of Breath was an exuberant big-band created by South African born pianist and composer Chris McGregor. In South Africa, McGregor had formed the racially mixed Blue Notes in the early 1960s. By 1964, finding it very difficult to work at home; they left for Europe, finally settling in London in 1966. The Blue Notes -- Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Mongezi Feza, Johnny Dyani and Louis Moholo made a huge impact on London's jazz scene and befriended many in London's emerging avant-garde jazz community." CD version released on Fledg'ling (FLED 3062CD).

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